1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fluid applicator or dauber, specifically adapted for dispensing liquids for commercial applications, such as cosmetics, perfumes, marking inks, pigments, shoe polish, lotions, antiperspirants, and medications, to name a few. Specifically, the invention relates to a valve-controlled applicator arrangement for a squeeze tube, bottle, or like container. More specifically, the invention relates to a provision of the applicator integrally formed with means of holding a dauber head with a fabric or foam covering material on a container that does not require a swaging process or separate retaining ring for assembly and is especially well suited for oval or other non-round shaped heads.
2. Description of Related Art
Applicators to dispense liquid products have been on the market in a controlled fashion for many years. Called “dabbers” or “daubers”, these devices are generally located within the mouth of a container, and may consist of a plastic component housing that holds a foam or fabric element. The foam or fabric covering material element functions as a reservoir for the product to be dispensed, and releases the product when saturated and depressed between the container and a target surface.
Ball-type dispensers have also been commonly used to dispense small amounts of fluids. Such dispensers include a fluid container surmounted by a bearing, which partially encloses and loosely embraces a plastic ball to afford free rotation to the ball to apply fluid to the desired surface. Ball-type dispensers are limited in the range of product viscosity they can dispense and have been known to be prone to leaks.
In most prior art designs the peripheral portion of a porous applicator pad is secured in a U-shaped channel provided on the outside of the body of the dauber, or in a fitment adapted to fit a dauber body or other product container. The applicator pad is commonly a foam or cloth and foam porous material, that is sufficiently large enough to be wrapped over the mouth of the container and at least partially about a retaining ring securing the peripheral portion to the dauber fitment.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,614 issued to Baginski, et al., on Jan. 9, 1979 entitled, “DAUBER AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLY,” a discrete retaining ring is forced into a U-shaped channel on the outside of the dauber along with a peripheral portion of the applicator pad so that the peripheral portion is secured between a retaining ring and an adjacent portion of the wall of the U-shaped channel. Swaging or thermoforming the outer rim of the U-shaped channel inwardly to substantially close the channel and thereby lock the retaining ring and the peripheral portion of the applicator pad therein completes the assembly. Using heat, pressure, and time, the material or cloth element is held in position at the top of the device through this thermo-forming process. Effectively, the plastic edge of the applicator top wall is turned over on itself to trap and contain the material. Applying heat and placing the device under high hydraulic or pneumatic pressure permanently alters the molded shape of the part making it possible to secure and retain the material. Importantly, for the swaging process the periphery of the outer rim must be circular; otherwise the outer rim will buckle and exhibit uneven folds. The distortions due to swaging make this process impractical for non-circular containers.
Other methods of containing the cloth material have been employed, such as crimping metal rings around the material onto the plastic housing container. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,873,464 issued to Rosenthal on Feb. 17, 1959, entitled, “STENCILING DEVICES,” a napped fabric is tightly secured over felt fabric by a retaining ring. The ring is a lightweight aluminum band placed over the nap material to hold the material between the ring and the flanges of the base. Slippage becomes an issue when the retaining ring tension is not adjusted properly. By their symmetry, circular containers provide for a uniform retaining ring tension. However, it is desirous in the art to have an assembly method that can be adaptable for non-circular shaped containers, such as oval containers, yet perform at least as efficiently and securely as other securing methods.
For further control, liquid releases from the daubers may be regulated with the use of a mechanical valve generally made from a resilient springy material or spring valve. The spring valve serves to prevent the product from leaking through the device as well as assisting in adjusting the product delivery. The spring valve is disposed within the dauber fitment, having an end that is able to seal close a central passageway that opens to the applicator pad. The spring valve generally consists of vertically winding spring coils, which are yieldable or compressible in a longitudinal direction. The relaxed length of the spring valve is somewhat greater than the distance between the central passageway and the lowermost point of the spring valve's seated mount in the dauber fitment. The effect of the spring valve in its operative position is to bias the endpoint of the valve into the central passageway, thereby closing the opening. Pressing the applicator pad onto a target surface compresses the spring valve and allows liquid to flow out of the central passageway.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,385,806 issued to Katakura, et al., on May 14, 2002, entitled, “SURFACE TREATING DEVICE,” a number of components are configured to form a lustering-agent applicator. The material constituting the treating portion is made of a continuously foamed body coated with a fibrous film. An annular groove is provided on an inside peripheral surface for the engaging structure. An annular engaging member having a distal end is forcibly fitted into an end of the treating portion of the annular groove. The annular engaging member has an elliptical shape and is provided on the outside circumferential surface of the container housing with the engaging portion projecting outward and with a bottom surface having a plurality of engaging projections, such as saw-tooth points. The annular ring is trapped on the outside of a lower housing by a slotted portion in the annular groove with fabric wedged or trapped therebetween. A lip on the annular groove forms the locking mechanism. Although a non-circular design is demonstrated with this assembly method, like other prior art designs the Katakura design requires an annular ring for securing the fabric, with the housing of the container providing an external annular groove to house the fabric and ring with the necessary clamping force. Katakura's annular ring design puts mechanical restraints on the container's housing lip, requiring a forced snap-in fit with the fabric and ring. Furthermore, Katakura requires an assembly from the top without any mechanism for supporting a spring valve. The annular ring support also has slippage limitations that are well known in the prior art.
Bearing in mind the problems and deficiencies of the prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an assembly method that is adaptable for non-circular shaped containers.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an efficient and secure assembly process that can accommodate non-circular container shapes while employing foam or fabric, if necessary, for the more porous liquids.
A further object of the invention is to provide a non-circular shaped dauber container that overcomes the slippage and assembly limitations of annular ring supports.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a mass producible dauber container housing and head, which is inexpensive, simple to use, and capable of metering fluid of various viscosities.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a non-circular shaped dauber container that can accommodate a spring valve within the housing assembly.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.